Yankee Stadium – not Westchester – will house New York City F.C. in year one

Did New York City F.C. really entertain the idea of going the Vancouver Whitecaps’ route of constructing a temporary stadium to open their 2015 season?

Yes, and no.

“There is no truth to any stadium rumors in New Jersey or Westchester,” club spokeswoman Risa Heller tells EOS. “When we have temporary stadium news, we will let you know. We are making a lot of good progress.”

However, according to sources close to the process, the idea of a B.C. Place-styled temporary facility in Westchester was discussed and explored by the organization as they sought cheap and effective solutions to their short term stadium usage. It was only one of several contingency plans considered in light of dragging efforts to land NYC FC in Yankee Stadium.

While it has been a trying process, the front runner remains — and has always been — the home of the Yankees.

The delays forced NYCFC officials to entertain alternative options and think outside the box, which is where the idea of an erector-set style stadium in Westchester was born. Westchester was not the only solution examined by the club, but it was the most debated. Conversations went from locations within the inner boroughs to the outer boroughs — and beyond.

Nevertheless, Yankee Stadium will be the eventual landing spot for NYC FC — at least for year one. After their first campaign is complete, both sides will reassess the feasibility of coexistence between the soccer and baseball teams and determine their future.

While the 30-day timeline for a temporary stadium announcement has been repeated ad-nauseam since November of last year, club sources tell us they expect a statement no later than April.

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Great plan by MLS to give a NYC a franchise without a plan off the bat, Welcome to Yankee stadium your home for the next decade, yeah i said decade, taking bets on the over under. What a joke, they needed this to be a success off the bat off the bat off the bat get it off the bat lol the Garber legacy taking that turn for the worse everyday & Atlanta will be the cherry on top !

Mark H.

Agree. Bush league plan.

Dave from Dix Hills

nycFc. Make the banner. Give me the credit. Yankee Stadium is an awful venue. Terrible sitelines.

Tim F.

What are the site lines like for soccer at Yankee Stadium? I have never seen a soccer match there. What have they learned when Chelsea, Liverpool, Rom, etc played there?

Yankee Stadium is not ideal, but it’s better than following the Nassau County Cosmos lead and moving to the suburbs. I had season tickets to the Cosmos year one but the subway to the LIRR train to the free bus to each match was just too time consuming. Wherever this stadium winds up, please put it along the NYC subway!